Slug trimming mechanism for typographical casting machines



R. R. MEAD May 2, 1944.

2,347,787 SLUG TRIMMING MECHANISM FORYTYPOGRAPHICAIJCASTINGMACHINESFiled March 6, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOB a A OHNEYLS R. R. MEAD2347,78? SLUG TRIMMING MECHANISM FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL CASTING MACHINIZS May2, 1944.

Filed March 6, 1942 5 Sheets-finest 2 R. R. MEAD May 2, 1944.

SLUG TRIMMING MECHANISM FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL CASTING MACHINES 4 aSheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 6, 1942 INVENTOR Patented May 2, 1944 SLUGTRIMMING MECHANISM FOR TYPO- GRAPHICAL CASTING MACHINES Richard R. Mead,Queens Village, N. Y., assignor to Mergenthaler Linotype Company, acorporation of New York Application March 6, 1942, Serial No. 433,596

20 Claims.

This invention relates to typographical casting machines such asLinotype machines of the general organization represented in LettersPatent of the United States No. 436,532 to O. Mergenthaler, wherein typebars or slugs are cast in a slotted mold and then ejected therefrombetween a pair of trimming knives which insure the parallelism of theiropposite side faces and bring them to the exact thickness required. Oneof these knives is fixed and the other adjustable in order that thedistance between the two may be varied at will to accommodate slugs ofdifferent thicknesses. More particularly, it relates to a slug trimmingmechanism of the kind shown and described in the U. S. Patent to G. P.Kingsbury No. 1,656,639, wherein the adjustments of the adjustable knifeare effected by means of a rotary sector or gauge plate operated by aknob or handle and having a series of transverse concentrically arrangedscrew studs which project different distances from the inner facethereof and which are adapted individually to sustain the knife againstspring pressure in its different adjusted positions.

In regular work, an adjustment of the knives is only required whenchanging from one mold to another to produce slugs of differentthicknesses, but in display work (such as chain or department storeadvertising, where type faces ranging in size, say, from 6 pt. to 18 pt.or from 18 pt. to 36 pt., are cast from the same mold on slugs formedwith and without overhang type-bearing portions), an adjustment of theknives is much more frequently required. For example, several columns ofslug units may have to be cast, each unit comprising two slugs of thesame body size to be used conjunctively for a single advertising item,one slug being cast with and the other without the overhang portions,and the latter slug'being adapted when the unit is assembled to fitagainst its com ponent and give support to the overhang portionsthereof. In carrying out this particular class of work in one machine,the knives have to be adjusted and readjusted for every slug unitproduced, that is to say, first to one setting to accommodate thetype-bearing slug with the overhang, then to another setting to trim theside faces of the other or non-type-bearing slug, and so on alternatelyuntil the job is finished, it being understood that, while thetype-bearing slugs with the overhang are not trimmed, nevertheless theyhave to be guided and sustained by the knives as they are pushed betweenthem on their Way to the galley.

The present invention aims to permit the adjustments and readjustmentsof the movable knife under the conditions above stated to be instantlyeffected without disturbing the setting of the gauge plate and with aminimum of physical effort and attention on the part of the operator. Tothis end, the slug trimming mechanism is equipped with supplementaryadjusting means operable, first, to effect a readjustment of the knifefor slugs cast with an overhang of a selected width and, then, torestore the knife to its original adjusted position. Such means, in thepreferred embodiment illustrated, includes a collapsible device arrangedbetween the knife supporting slide and the active screw stud of thegauge plate. When extended, this device is adapted to sustain the knifeagainst the influence of the slide springs in its primary adjusted orslug trimming position; but when collapsed, the device permits the slidesprings to adjust the knife to its secondary or nonslug-trimmingposition. The extent of this latter adjustment is determined by anadjustable stop member arranged to engage the knife slide and which maybe set in one position or another according to the width of the overhangof the type bearing slugs being cast.

The collapsible device comprises two opposed clutch-like members, onesecured to the knife slide, and the other capable of axial as well asrotary movement relatively'thereto. Operation of the device iscontrolled by a hand lever which depends from said movable member and bymeans of which the device may be collapsed or extended as desired. Thetwo members of the device present opposed interlocking portions soformed that they may be cammed apart to extend the device by a partialturn of the movable member in one direction and then drawn togetherunder spring tension to collapse the device by a corresponding turn ofsaid member in the opposite direction.

In the accompanying drawings, the invention has been shown merely inpreferred form and by way of example and is therefore not limited to anyspecific form or embodiment except insofar as such limitations arespecified in the claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the slug trimming mechanism andassociated parts, equipped with the present improvements;

Fig. 2 is a detail vertical section through a portion of the knifeblock, showing the interponent and its control lever;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, showingthe interponent collapsed;

Fig. 4 is a similar View, showing the interponent extended;

Fig. is a side elevation, partly in section, taken on the line 5-5 ofFig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line t -t'i of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a detail vertical section, partly broken away, showing thelocking pin for the sector plate and the arresting stud for the handlecontrolling the sector plate; and

Fig. 8 is a detail transverse section on an enlarged scale, taken on theline B-%! of Fig. '7.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the mold A is mounted in a rotatable disc Awhich usually has a capacity of four molds, any one of which is adaptedby an adjustment of the disc to be brought into use at will. During amachine cycle of operation, the disc A is first given a quarter turn tocarry the active mold from the ejecting to the casting position and,after the casting operation, it is given a three-quarter turn to carrythe mold back to the ejecting position, where the cast slug is pushedforwardly therefrom by an ejector blade B between a pair of trimmingknives C C which trim the opposite side'faces of the slug to bring it tothe proper size. The left-hand or stationary knife C is secured to anupright member 0 of the machine frame, whereas the right-hand oradjustable knife C is fastened by screws 0 to a slide D so that it maybe adjusted bodily toward and from the opposing knife C Formanufacturing reasons, the slide D is made in two sections D D and ismounted to move horizontally in a supporting block E bolted rigidly tothe frame member 0. In its front face, the section D (Fig. 6) is formed.with a pair of superposed horizontal grooves or recesses D adapted toaccommodate compression springs D which react against integral projections e of the block E and urge the slide D constantly toward'the rightto move the knife (3 away from the knife C For slugs that have to betrimmed, i. e. those cast without overhang portions, a rotary adjustablegauge or sector plate F is employed to sustain the knife in itsdifferent adjusted positions, said plate being provided with a series ofconcentrically disposed screw studs j which project different distancesfrom the inner face thereof and which are selectively brought intoengaging relation with a hardened stud d carried by the knife slide D.As best shown in Fig. 3, the gauge plate F is rotatably mounted on ahorizontal spindle G and is operated'by means of a turning knob orhandle F keyed to the outer end of the spindle, as at f and capable of alimited axial movement thereon to make and break an operative connectionwith the gauge plate. The spindle G, journaled in the knife supportingblock E, is provided at its innerend with a face cam G which is adapted,by a partial turn of the handle F relatively to the gauge plate in aclockwise direction (looking from the right in Fig. 1), to engage a studd on the knife slide D and through such engagement move the slide awayfrom the gauge plate in order to relieve it of spring pressurepreparatory to its adjustment.

To hold the gauge plate F in its different adjusted positions, it isalso provided with a retractible locking pin F (Figs. '7 and 8) whichprojects slightly beyond the inner face of the gauge plate to engage oneof a series of holes e formed in a hardened plate E secured to the blockE. These holes are disposed diametrically opposite to the screw studs f,so that each will register with the locking pin F when the correspondingscrew stud is brought into operative relation with the hardened stud dof the knife slide. Rotation of the gauge plate F in opposite directionsis limited by a stop pin e projecting laterally from the block E into aconcentric groove f formed in the contiguous face of the gauge plate.

The movements of the locking pin F into and out of engagement with theholes in the plate E are controlled by the axial movements of the handleF the latter being provided with a finger which projects outwardly fromthe hub portion of the handle and is adapted, as the latter completesits partial turn relatively to the gauge plate, to engage an annulargroove f formed in the head portion of the locking pin F Adjacent thehub portion of the handle F the gauge plate F is further provided with afixed auxiliary member F which is cut away at its lower end to clear thefinger f as the latter is rocked into and out of engagement with thelocking pin F and which is formed with a recess F to accommodate both ofsaid parts in their engaged condition.

The arrangement of the parts is such that, when the handle F is pulledoutwardly after its initial turn to relieve the gauge plate of springpressure, the finger i will withdraw-the locking pin from its lockingposition and enter the recess F The handle in this way is locked to theauxiliary member F and an operative connection established with thegauge plate F, which may now be freely adjusted by means of the handleand set in any selected position. The handle is then pushed inwardly torestore the pin F to its locking position and given a partial turn in ananti-clockwise direction to permit the knife slide under control of thecam G1 to bank against the newly selected screw stud of the gauge plateand thus locate the knife C the required distance from the opposingknife C To indicate the above adjustments as they are effected, thegauge plate F (see Fig. 1) is provided on its outer peripheral edge withappropriate markings or graduations H which are to be read inconjunction with a pointer H fastened to the block E.

As thus far described, the mechanism is or may be the same as thatembodied in the aforementioned Kingsbury patent, to which reference maybe had, if desired, for further details.

As before stated, the present invention is directed to supplementaryadjusting means whereby the right-hand knife C after being adjusted inthe manner above described to trim slugs of a given thickness (1. e.slugs without overhangs), may be quickly adjusted to a non-trimmingposition for the proper guiding of slugs cast with overhangs and laterrestored to its previously adjusted or trimming position. Such adjustingmeans (see Figs. 3, 4 and 5) includes a collapsible device J, comprisingtwo clutch-like members J J arranged between the active screw stud f ofthe gauge plate F' and the adjacent end of the knife slide D. Themembers J and J present interlocking portions J formed withcorresponding beveled or cam surfaces y'and squared-off banking surfaces1 The member J issecurely fastened by screws to the knife slide D; withits hub portion 7' fitted into a comparatively deep recess therein foradded rigidity. The hub portion of the member J 1 is bored out toaccommodate a shaft J projecting laterally from the member J whichlatter is thus mounted for rotary as well as axial movement relativelyto the'member J The member J (Figs. 2and 3) is provided with anangularly shaped hand lever J and carries the before-mentioned hardenedstud d which, it may be noted, is coaxially aligned with the shaft J andthe active screw stud f of the gauge plate F. A compression spring Jseated in the hub portion of the member J and engaging a collar fastenedto the free end of the shaft J tends to hold the member J constantlyagainst the fixed member J When the knife C is set in slug trimmingposition, the device J is in its extended condition, as shown in Fig. 4,with the corresponding squared surfaces 7' of the members J and J incontact, so that the knife will be positively sustained in its adjustedposition, by the active screw stud of the gauge plate F through themedium of the device J and against the influence of the slide springs D.However, when the hand lever J is pushed rearwardly (or from theposition shown by the broken lines to that shown by the full lines inFig. 5), the member J 2 will be rocked in a counter-clockwise directionto bring together the corresponding beveled or cam surfaces 5 of themembers J and J and permit the device to be collapsed by the spring J,as shown in Fig. 3. As a result of this collapsing operation, thesprings D will be allowed to push the knife slide outwardly to carry theknife C away from the opposing knife C in effecting its adjustment tonon-trimming position for the accommodation of slugs cast with overhangportions. Conversely, when the hand lever J is pulled forwardly, themember J will be turned in the opposite direction and, through theengagement of the beveled or cam surfaces 9, will, first, be cammed awayfrom its companion J until the hardened stud d engages the aligned screwstud of the gauge plate and, then, as it continues to turn, will act toforce the knife slide D inwardly against the pressure of its actuatingsprings D until the squared surfaces :i are again in contact and thedevice fully extended, as in Fig. 4. The movement of the member J toextend the device J is limited by the engagement of the hand lever Jwith a rib E formed at the lower edge of the block E and its movement tocollapse the device J is limited by the engagement of the hand leverwith a laterally projecting plate D secured to the knife slide above thehand lever (see Fig. 2). A spring detent 7' mounted in the hand lever Jand arranged to engage the rib E holds the lever yieldingly in itsforward position so as to prevent accidental displacement of the memberJ when the device J is extended.

To determine the non-trimming position of the knife C as permitted bythe collapsing of the device J, the adjusting mechanism (as best shownin Figs. 3 and 6) includes an adjustable stop plate K which is adaptedto arrest the slide D and sustain it against the influence of thesprings D in one position or another, according to the width of the slugoverhang The stop plate K (Fig. 3) is fast to the rear end of a shortforeand-aft rock shaft K and is formed with a series of stepped bankingsurfaces k which are spaced different distances from the axis of theshaft and are adapted by its rotation to be brought selectively intoengaging relation with a shoulder d formed by recessing the frontsection of the knife slide D. The shaft K is mounted in the block E andis operated by means of an adjusting rod K which depends from a shortcrank arm K secured to the front end of the shaft, and which is arrangedconveniently alongside the hand lever J A small compression spring Kseated behind the hub of the crank arm in a recess formed in the blockE, holds the stop plate K frictionally engaged With a fiat surface 2 ofthe block and thus maintains it in its different adjusted positions. Asa guide to the operator in making these adjustments, a pointer Kprojecting outwardly from the hub portion of the crank arm K cooperateswith dial markings K on the front face of the block E (see Fig. 1).

It is pointed out that, in order to permit a maximum range in thesupplemental adjustments of the knife C at all times irrespective of theangular position of the gauge plate F, it is important that the cam G beturned (as in Fig. 3) to bring the lowest portion thereof opposite thestud d of the knife slide after each setting of the auge plate.Consequently, the turning knob F (Fig. 5) is provided with a spring Fanchored to the auxiliary member F and arranged in an annular groove Fformed in the hub portion of the knob. A stop pin f projecting from theouter face of the gauge plate and arranged to engage the finger f of theknob F sustains the latter against the influence of the spring F andthrough the intervening connections determines th proper angular (low)position of the cam G From the foregoing description, it will now beclear that, once the knife C has been set by an adjustment of the gaugeplate F to trim slugs of a given body thickness, a slight push on thehand lever J will instantly collapse the device J and thus bring aboutthe setting of the knife in a non-trimming position for slugs having anoverhang of a selected width; and that, thereafter, by pulling the handlever forwardly, the device Will be just as quickly extended to restorethe knife to its previously adjusted trimming position. The axialmovements of the member J toward and from the fixed member J duringthese operations is of course sufiicient to permit the adjustments ofthe knife to take place without interference by the active screw stud ofthe gauge plate, there being at such times a gap between the hardenedstud d and the said screw stud regardless of the width of the overhangor the thickness of the slug body.

The gauge plate F (Figs. 5 and 7) is provided with astop element F whichmay be turned, when desired, into engaging relation with the finger f tosustain it in close proximity with the locking pin F This stop element,however, is only utilized during periods of continuous casting of slugswithout overhangs and is intended to save time and effort on the part ofthe operator in establishing the operative connections between theturning knob and locking pin, a slight turn of the cam G in relation tothe gauge plate F being all that is required to relieve the latter ofspring pressure before it is adjusted.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In or for a typographical casting machine, slug trimming mechanismincluding, in combination, means for effecting primary adjustments ofthe mechanism within a relatively low range for slugs of differentthicknesses without overhang type-bearing portions, and means foreffecting supplementary adjustments thereof within a dif ferent andhigher range for slugs with overhang type-bearing portions.

2. Slug trimming mechanism according to claim 1, including meansassociated with each of the two adjusting means to determine theirrespective adjustments.

3. Slug trimming mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said mechanismcomprises a pair of opposed trimming knives, one adjustable bodilytoward and from the other to vary the distance between them, andcharacterized in that both the primary and supplementary adjusting meansare common to the adjustable knife.

4. Slug trimming mechanism according to claim 1, wherein thesupplementary adjusting means is operable, after a supplementaryadjustment, to restore the mechanism to its primary adjusted position.

5. In or for a typographical casting machine, slug trimming mechanism,including, in combination, a pair of opposed trimming knives, oneadjustable bodily toward and from the other to vary the distance betweenthem, means for effecting primary adjustments of the adjustable knifefor trimmable slugs of different thicknesses, and unitary means operableat will independently of said primary adjustment means first to effect asupplementary adjustment of said knife for nontrimmable slugs and thento restore said knife to its primary adjusted position.

6. Slug trimming mechanism according to claim 5, including means todetermine the extent of the supplementary adjustment of the adjustableknife.

'7. Slug trimming mechanism according to claim 5, including anadjustable stop element to determine the extent of the supplementaryadjustment of the movable knife.

8. Slug trimming mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the adjustableknife is sustained in its different adjusted positions against springpressure, and wherein the means for effecting the supplementaryadjustment of the said knife includes a collapsible device adapted whenextended to sustain the knife in its primary adjusted position and whencollapsed to permit its supplementary adjustment to be effected underthe influence of the spring pressure.

9. In or for a typographical casting machine, slug trimming mechanismincluding, in combination, a normally stationary left-hand knife and anadjustable right-hand knife, primary adjusting means for setting theright-hand knife in different trimming positions within a relatively lowrange, and supplementary adjusting means for setting the right-handknife in different nontrimming positions within a different and higherrange.

10. Slug trimming mechanism according to claim 9, wherein thesupplementary adjusting means is operable to shift the right-hand knifeback and forth between a pre-selected trimming position and apre-selected non-trimming position.

11. Slug trimming mechanism according to claim 9, wherein thesupplementary adjusting means is operable to set the right-hand knife ina pre-selected non-trimming position from any pre-selected trimmingposition.

12. In or for a typographical casting machine, slug trimming mechanismincluding, in combination, a normally stationary left-hand knife and anadjustable right-hand knife, primary adjusting means for setting theright-hand knife in different trimming positions within a given range,and supplementary means for shifting the righthand knife from any settrimming position to a non-trimming position outside of said range.

13. In or for a typographical casting machine,

slug trimming mechanism including, in combination, a normally stationaryleft-hand knife and an adjustable right-hand knife, primary adjustingmeans for setting the right-hand knife in different trimming positions,supplementary means for shifting the right-hand knife from any settrimming position to a non-trimming position, and adjustable means forvarying the non-trimming position of the right-hand knife.

14. In or for a typographical casting machine, slug trimming mechanismincluding, in combination, a normally stationary left-hand knife and anadjustable right-hand knife, a rotary gauge plate for adjusting theright-hand knife to different trimming positions, a collapsible deviceinterposed between said gauge plate and knife and through which theknife adjustments are effected, means for collapsing and extending saiddevice, and means whereby upon the collapse of said device theright-hand knife will be shifted to a non-trimming position withoutaffecting the adjustment of the gauge plate and whereby upon theextension of said device the right-hand knife will be restored to itsoriginal position of adjustment as determined by the gauge plate.

15. Slug trimming mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the adjustableknife is sustained in its different adjusted positions against springpressure, and wherein the means for effecting the supplementaryadjustment of the said knife includes a collapsible device adapted whenextended to sustain the knife in its primary adjusted position and whencollapsed to permit its supplementary adjustment to be effected underthe influence of the spring pressure, and also wherein the collapsibledevice is carried by the knife slide and arranged to engage the activescrew stud of a gauge plate forming part of the primary adjusting means.

16. Slug trimming mechanism accordin to claim 5, wherein the adjustableknife is sustained in its different adjusted positions against springpressure, and wherein the means for effecting the supplementaryadjustment of the said knife includes a collapsible device adapted whenextended to sustain the knife in it primary adjusted position and whencollapsed to permit its supplementary adjustment to be effected underthe influence of the spring pressure, and also wherein the collapsibledevice includes two clutchlike members, one movable relatively to theother and provided with a hand lever by means of which the device may becollapsed or extended. as desired.

1'7. Slug trimming mechanism according to claim 5, wherein theadjustable knife is sustained in its different adjusted positionsagainst spring pressure, and wherein the means for efiecting thesupplementary adjustment of the said knife includes a collapsible deviceadapted when extended to sustain the knife in its primary adjustedposition and when collapsed to permit its supplementary adjustment to beeffected under the influence of the spring pressure, and also whereinthe movable member of the collapsible element is rotat ably mounted andadapted by a partial turn in one direction to bring about thesupplementary adjustment of the adjustable knife and by a similar turnin the opposite direction to restore said knife to its original orprimary adjusted position.

18. Slug trimming mechanism according to claim 5, including anadjustable stop element to determine the extent of the supplementaryadjustment of the movable knife, and wherein the adjustable stop elementis arranged to engage the knife slide and is capable of being set in oneposition or another according to the face width of slugs with overhangtype-bearing portions.

19. Slug trimming mechanism according to claim 5, including anadjustable stop element to determine the extent of the supplementaryadjustment of the movable knife, and wherein the adjustable stop elementis arranged to engage the knife slide and is capable of being set in oneposition or another according to the face width of slugs with overhangtype-bearing portions, and including a pointer and dial markings toindicate the diiferent settings of the stop element.

20. Slug trimming mechanism according to claim 5, including anadjustable stop element to determine the extent of the supplementaryadjustment of the movable knife and wherein the adjustable stop elementis rotatably mounted and provided with a series of stepped bankingsurfaces spaced different distances from the axis, and one or another ofwhich may be located in engaging relation with the knife slide accordingto the angular position of the said element.

RICHARD R. MEAD.

